89% rise in fishermen signing on in Dingle

Fears that the ice-plant in Dingle may be about to close were compounded this week by a claim that there has been an massive increase in fishermen forced to sign on since January of last year. The claim was made by Fine Gael Deputy and South Kerry TD, Rathmore's Tom Sheahan in the Oireachtas this week when he stated that there 89% more fishermen were signing on in the Dingle area, compared with January of 2007. In his speech, he also outlined the fact that only two boats now operate from Baile na nGall (Ballydavid) in comparison to five boats this time five years ago. Fishermen in Dingle staged a protest at Dingle Pier last year, claiming that the Irish Government had sold them out to Europe in terms of fishing rights, fishing-grounds and quotas. It is a strange situation when an island country surrounded by water with the vast Atlantic Ocean lapping at its western doorstep, has fishing communities who can no longer make a living from the sea. It is also strange when you consider the amount of foreign fishing vessels that dock in Dingle regularly. Fellow island nation Iceland, the first European country to go bust following the recession, has seen many of its bankers, office and municipal workers revert to fishing following the country's economic collapse.
What will Ireland do...